Als will bring coaching staff back for 2016

MONTREAL — Keeping Jim Popp on as head coach despite missing the CFL playoffs was mostly about bringing continuity to a team that has had too many changes in recent seasons.

The Alouettes announced Monday that Popp and his three co-ordinators — Anthony Calvillo on offence, Noel Thorpe on defence and Kavis Reed on special teams — will be back next season.

“The missing ingredient was stability,” team president Mark Weightman said of the troubles the former East Division powerhouse has endured since coach Marc Trestman left after a fiveyear stint in 2012.

Popp, also the general manager, took over as head coach when Tom Higgins was fired on Aug. 21. The team was 3-5 then and went 3-7 under Popp. They missed the playoffs for the first time since the team returned to Montreal in 1996 after a 10-year hiatus.

Just before Higgins was let go, they fired offensive co-ordinator Turk Schonert and shared that job between Calvillo and Ryan Dinwiddie.

Popp also stepped in when Dan Hawkins was fired only five games into the 2013 campaign. He has filled in as coach four times since 2001, with a combined record of 19-27.

Keeping Popp on is not likely to be popular with fans, but Weightman said it was the best choice.

“I hope and I believe that our fans will understand by explaining the importance of maintaining stability and continuity in the organization and in the coaching staff,” he said.